The Association of Learning Providers (ALP) has called on ministers to let training providers help deliver on the Government Skills Strategy.

The plea came from ALP’s Chief Executive, Graham Hoyle, following a speech by Alan Johnson MP, Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, at the Association's annual conference last week.

Mr Hoyle referred to the fact that under the Skills Strategy only colleges are able to bid for public funding to deliver work-based learning contracts.

He said: “Any training provider able to deliver high quality training to the required specification should be allowed to bid for cash to deliver the appropriate courses.

“The ALP’s challenge to ministers, the Department for Education and Skills and to the LSC is: ‘Do you want us to deliver the skills strategy?’ If you want us, use us.”

Mark Haysom, Chief Executive of the Learning and Skills Council, said he heard ALP’s plea.

He promised a new business strategy that would help to open up the market to other providers.

The strategy, he assured, would provide a framework that would allow providers to plan for future growth and understand more clearly their remit within local and regional markets.

He asked providers for responsiveness, quality, flexibility, and an active working relationship with employers. “If we can both deliver, then we can do business,” he added.